TACF Articles

Good, bad or ugly, everyone has something to say about France and the French: chic, smart, sexy, rude, racist, bureaucratic, bitchy as hell, pavements studded with dog poo, baguettes that dry out by lunchtime and a penchant for torching cars is some of the chitchat on the street. Spice up the cauldron with the odd urban riot, political scandal and a 35-hour working week - not to mention a massive box-office hit like The Da Vinci Code taking over Paris or superstar Angelina Jolie allegedly plumping for a chateau in Normandy to raise her kids - and the international media is all ears too.

This is, after all, that fabled land of good food and wine, of royal chateaux and perfectly restored farmhouses, of landmarks known the world over and hidden landscapes few really know. Savour art and romance in the shining capital on the River Seine. See glorious pasts blaze forth at Versailles. Travel south for Roman civilisation and the sparkling blue Med; indulge your jet-set fantasies in balmy Nice and St-Tropez. Ski the Alps. Sense the subtle infusion of language, music and mythology in Brittany brought by 5th-century Celtic invaders. Smell ignominy on the beaches of Normandy and battlefields of Verdun and the Somme. And know that this is but the tip of that gargantuan iceberg the French call culture.

But change is going on to that enduring land whose citizens have a established joie de vivre and savoir- faire - and have done the same for centuries.[I:http://talkaboutcollegefootball.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/JackMiller1.jpg] France and the French are bored - and are ready to change. People are talking about it and you can see the change when you go and see. Some practical information for travel and business.

Money Cash: You always get a better exchange rate in-country, though its a good idea to arrive with enough local currency to take a taxi to a hotel if you have to. Carry as little cash as possible while traveling around.

Moneychangers Commercial banks usually charge a stiff 3 to 5 per foreign-currency transaction (eg BNP Paribas charges 3.3% or a minimum of about 4). Rates offered vary, so it pays to compare. Banks charge roughly 3.40 to 5.30 to cash travelers cheques (eg BNP Paribas charges 1.5%, with a minimum charge of 4).

In the capitalParis, exchange bureau (bureaux de change) are quicker and easier, open longer hours and provide better rates than most banks. In general, post offices in Paris can offer the best exchange rates and accept banknotes in various currencies as well as American Express and Visa travelers cheques. The expenses for travelers cheques is 1.5% (minimum about 4 Euro).

Familiarize yourself with rates offered by the post office and compare them with those at exchange bureaux. On small transactions, even exchange places with less-than-optimal rates may leave you with more euros in your pocket.

Travelers cheques The most flexible travelers cheques are those issued by AmEx (in US dollars or euros) and Visa (in euros) because they can be changed at many post offices as well as commercial banks and exchange bureaux. Note that you will not be able to pay most merchants with travelers cheques directly. AmEx offices dont charge commission on their own travelers cheques.For lost travelers cheques call AmEx (0 800 908 600) and Thomas Cook (0 800 908 330) for replacements.